This U54 component, Research Project 3-NCCU-UNC Small Projects, will support the research development of three NCCU investigators new to alcohol research. These three small projects will receive funding to obtain pilot data that will allow the submission of grant applications to transition to independent funded alcohol research programs, or the transition to full research projects in later years of this U54 program. Through active mentoring received from the Mentoring and Development Core these NCCU alcohol researchers will further the understanding of the mechanisms of alcohol pathology as related to the role of alcohol exposure during development on microglia function, the role of alcohol on mammary tumor development, and the role of alcohol in pulmonary inflammation. It is expected that these pilot projects will introduce underrepresented students to alcohol research while enhancing the alcohol research expertise of the NCCU faculty. Ultimately these three pilot projects will continue the expansion of alcohol research at an IUCP, NCCU, and will advance our understanding of the contribution of alcohol abuse to cancer, lung inflammation, and the role of microglia in FASD.